To the east were the hills that form the high spine of Brigantia; west and south lay the impenetrable fastness of the Silures. The fortress stood squarely in the gap, effectively defenceless, a standing invitation to seaborne attack; it was the weakest link I had yet seen in the defences of the Province. I wrote urgently to Tammonius, stressing the danger of the situation. I was rewarded by the appearance in November of a numerus of cavalry, detached from service on the Wall. They were followed by a ragtag and bobtail of archers, Syrian, half-caste and British, and one of the Duke’s last regiments of German infantry. When they arrived I breathed a little easier. At least I had some solid troops, that I felt I could rely on. The archers and infantry I detailed for garrison duty; the cavalry rode with me on patrols of the surrounding country. They too were a mixed bag: Hispanians, Belgic Celts and a few Franks. I preferred to keep them under my eye.Winter clamped down, howling and grey.
